The project started in September 2004 and finished in July 2006. The Old Town area consists of 1706 households and comprises the historic core of Romsey town.
Some meetings were held in Romsey Town Hall and others in a private house.
Consultation Process
Phase 1: Getting to know the area:
2004-2005
Initial step: September 2004:
A letter was sent to members of the Romsey and District Society who lived in the area, asking their help in distributing an initial leaflet about the project. 26 people responded. Throughout the course of the project 34 people distributed material, leaflets or the questionnaire. Ninety people came to the inaugural meeting.
Guided walks: Four guided walks were held between late November 2004 and January 2005. They were attended by a total of 185 people. Householders were notified by a leaflet drop.
Preparation of questionnaire: November 2004: Work started on preparing a questionnaire in November 2004. Although other questionnaires in the project were used for guidance, making sure that the questions were relevant to the Old Town and agreeing the layout took three meetings.
At the beginning of February, copies of the questionnaire were delivered to every household in the area with a request to return them by 25th March 2005. Replies could be handed in at four business premises and three private houses, or returned direct to the Look at Romsey convenor.
Processing of answers: spring 2005:
Every answer to each question was typed into an Access database. 195 replies were received, which is 11.4% of all households.
Preparation for exhibition:
Six meetings were held at which the replies were analysed and materials were prepared for public exhibition. The whole area was leafleted once again inviting people to the exhibition. The date had also been announced in the Questionnaire.
Exhibition: 18 June 2005:
An exhibition was held in Romsey Town Hall and 134 people visited it.
Phase 2: Preparing the Statement:
2005-2006
Following the exhibition, twelve meetings were held to discuss the content of the Design Statement. The contents of the Statement were discussed from first principles and the notes of these meetings were used to form the basis of a draft Statement. After revision it was sent to TVBC for comment and to members of the Romsey and District Society executive committee.
The comments were then discussed and once the group was satisfied with the text, photographs were chosen and insterted. Ten people took part in this work. In addition, two people undertook a tree survey of the town centre and the list of trees that grow in this area was included in the Draft Statement as Appendix 1. Non-design issues that had arisen as a result of the questionnaires formed Appendix 2.
Public consultation June/July 2006:
The draft statement was printed and a working party assembled to collate and staple them. A leaflet was distributed to each household telling residents that copies were available at six locations, or on-line on Romseynet. In addition copies of the statement were sent to all Romsey Extra Councillors, Test Valley Borough Councillors for the four Romsey wards, County Councillors for the two Romsey divisions, the MP and one or two other bodies such as the Police and Test Way Housing.
Distribution of the Design Statement:
It was decided to make available simultaneously the two town centre statements and the Overview. Each statement was collated and stapled, and then the three joined together. 500 copies were prepared and they were available for collection from eleven places across the town centre. In addition, people read them at such places as the CAB offices, doctors’ surgeries and the library. All copies were distributed and it is possible that more would have gone had they been available.
Comments:
Four sets of comments were received, two of which were of a minor kind and the others were concerned with the condition of the streams, and with litter, which are outside the scope of a design statement.
Final meeting:
This was held on Friday 21st July, at which the comments were discussed, as was the treatment of non-design issues. In addition, decisions were made about what labels should be attached to the map that will be published in the final production.
Appendices:
Appendix 1 - the list of trees has been sent to the Aboricultural Officer of TVBC.
Appendix 2 - has become the basis of a letter sent separately to the various councillors who represent Romsey and our MP.
